Mukhtasar Muslim

Masruq says: I went to Umm al-Mu'mineen Aisha Siddiqa (may Allah be pleased with her), and with her was Sayyiduna Hassan bin Thabit (may Allah be pleased with him), who was reciting a verse from his ghazal, which was a few couplets he had composed. The verse was: "Pure and intelligent, there is no accusation against them. They rise in the morning hungry for the flesh of the heedless." (Meaning, they do not backbite anyone, because backbiting is as if eating their flesh.) Umm al-Mu'mineen Aisha Siddiqa (may Allah be pleased with her) said to Sayyiduna Hassan (may Allah be pleased with him): "But you are not like that" (meaning, you do backbite people). Masruq said: I asked Umm al-Mu'mineen Aisha Siddiqa (may Allah be pleased with her): "Why do you allow Hassan (may Allah be pleased with him) to come to you, even though Allah Almighty has said about him: 'The person among them who took upon himself the greater part of it (i.e., the slander against Umm al-Mu'mineen Aisha Siddiqa (may Allah be pleased with her)), for him is a great punishment.'" (Hassan bin Thabit (may Allah be pleased with him) was among those who participated in the slander against Umm al-Mu'mineen Aisha Siddiqa (may Allah be pleased with her). Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) prescribed the legal punishment for him.) Umm al-Mu'mineen Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said: "What greater punishment could there be than that he became blind?" And she said: "He used to defend or satirize on behalf of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) against the disbelievers." (That is why I allow him to come to me.)